Criminal Justice News

Saturday, July 21, 2012

LOS ANGELES — A foreign physician
suspected of being a large-scale supplier of phony erectile dysfunction drugs
to distributors in California, Texas and Europe faces up to 30 years in prison
after pleading guilty to federal charges stemming from a long-term probe by
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security
Investigations (HSI).

Robin Han, 43, a New Zealand citizen who
resided in China prior to his arrest earlier this year, pleaded guilty Thursday
morning to three criminal counts that could also result in a fine of up to $6
million. Han's sentencing is set for Oct. 4 before U.S. District Judge George
Wu. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central
District of California.

"Trafficking in counterfeit prescription
drugs of any kind represents a serious threat to public safety," said
United States Attorney André Birotte Jr. "The Department of Justice will
continue to work with all of its law enforcement partners — at both the federal
and local levels — to help secure federal convictions that should send a strong
message to international counterfeiters like Mr. Han."

Han was originally indicted in December
2007, but remained at large until March 29. He was taken into custody at San
Francisco International Airport following his arrival on a flight from Hong
Kong. Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) detained Han after
determining he was the subject of an international law enforcement lookout.
Subsequently, Han was transferred to Los Angeles where he has remained in
federal custody ever since.

"The challenge in intellectual
property investigations is that large-scale suppliers like Han are typically
based overseas," said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge for HSI Los
Angeles. "But as this case clearly demonstrates, these defendants are not
beyond the reach of U.S. law enforcement. We owe it to consumers to pursue
these cases vigorously given the significant public safety risks posed by these
counterfeit medications."

The HSI probe targeting Han began in
2006 after CBP officers at a mail facility in northern California intercepted a
parcel shipped from China that contained counterfeit Cialis tablets and phony
Cialis packaging. The ensuing investigation identified Han as the sender.

According to the case indictment, Han
advertised the sale of counterfeit pharmaceuticals on a number of websites,
including alibaba.com. During the course of the probe, HSI special agents made
undercover buys of some 20,000 counterfeit Viagra, Cialis and Levitra tablets
with an estimated retail value of approximately $200,000. On the parcels Han
shipped to the undercover special agents, the packing slips falsely claimed the
contents were plastic stationery holders and pen boxes.

HSI, CBP and the Department of Justice
are working together to combat intellectual property crimes. In fiscal year
2011, HSI and CBP made nearly 25,000 seizures involving counterfeited and
pirated products, a 24 percent increase compared to fiscal year 2010.

As the largest investigative arm of the
Department of Homeland Security, HSI plays a leading role in targeting criminal
organizations responsible for producing, smuggling and distributing counterfeit
products. HSI focuses not only on keeping counterfeit products off our streets,
but also on dismantling the criminal organizations behind such illicit
activity.

The HSI-led National Intellectual
Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) is one of the U.S.
government's key weapons in the fight against criminal counterfeiting and
piracy. The IPR Center uses the expertise of its 21 member agencies to share
information, develop initiatives, coordinate enforcement actions, and conduct
investigations related to IP theft. Through this strategic interagency
partnership, the IPR Center protects the public's health and safety, the U.S.
economy and the war fighters.